London, 11 February 2026 – The United Kingdom is significantly strengthening its military presence in the Arctic and High North in response to escalating Russian activity. Defence Secretary John Healey today confirmed that the number of British troops deployed to Norway will double over three years, from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel, during a visit to meet Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in northern Norway.
This expansion is part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) initiatives, which include major military exercises designed to protect critical infrastructure and enhance joint command and control capabilities. In September 2026, Exercise Lion Protector will see air, land, and naval forces from JEF nations deploy across Iceland, the Danish Straits, and Norway.
Additionally, 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos will take part in NATO’s Exercise Cold Response in March, operating across Norway, Finland, and Sweden to strengthen the defence of strategically important locations in the Arctic.
The UK will also play a key role in NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, with detailed planning underway at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where Defence Secretary Healey will meet his counterparts to discuss operational proposals.
“The demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security since the Cold War,” Healey said. “We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North – doubling our troops in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with NATO allies. Cold Response and Lion Protector will see thousands of troops deploy across the Arctic and North Atlantic – training together, deterring together, and if necessary, fighting together.”
This commitment follows the historic Lunna House Agreement with Norway, signed in December, under which the UK and Norway will jointly operate a fleet of submarine-hunting Type 26 warships, expand joint Arctic training, and pre-position British military equipment in Norway for faster crisis response.
The government’s Strategic Defence Review underlines the UK’s focus on improving NATO’s deterrence posture in Northern Europe and the High North. With a 50-year history of Arctic operations and strong partnerships with Norway, Sweden, and Finland, the UK positions itself at the forefront of NATO’s northern security response.
Le Hautpanel
